Chapter 407: Lacking a Soul

The New World.

Waves churned, billows rose one after another.

Sabo stood on the deck of a merchant ship, looking back at Britannias as it gradually receded.

In his eyes lay an indescribable emotion:

"I have never seen a country like this."

"Stable and prosperous, brimming with vitality; hope is written on everyone's face."

"Indeed."

Ivankov stood shoulder to shoulder with Sabo, gazing into the distance as a sea breeze blew, making his clothes flap loudly.

"Even for okama, the people here are exceptionally tolerant."

He raised his eyes toward the port, where his fans had even come to see them off.

"Hey! My little darlings~!"

"I'll be back!"

Ivankov excitedly waved to the distance.

Seeing this scene, Sabo didn't know what expression to make and could only smile helplessly.

After the battle with Barrett ended, Sabo shook off Fujitora and, alone, traveled nearly the entire expanse of Britannias.

He also saw darkness he had not seen before.

This country still had certain problems; the laws were imperfect, and those who held money and privilege could still oppress the lower classes.

But with the perfection of the laws, such situations were decreasing at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Sabo had once witnessed a landlord, just as in the past, oppressing farmworkers in the fields.

After being investigated and verified, he even bribed officials, manipulated the rules, and found loopholes in the law, attempting to use them to escape punishment.

In fact, he truly succeeded.

But merely two days later, the relevant laws were amended, and the loopholes were plugged.

When that man was detained a second time for the same crime, thinking he knew the ropes, he unexpectedly found that both the judging magistrate and the corresponding laws had changed.

He was directly stripped of all his property and exiled to Sea Watch, never to set foot on the land of Britannias again.

And in the New World, such a punishment was nearly equivalent to declaring his death sentence.

At that moment.

Sabo was shaken.

This country still had many problems, but compared to other nations on the seas, whether World Government member states or non-member states, it was far, far superior.

It was simply not a product of the same era!

What shook Sabo even more was that Britannias was still becoming better at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Ivankov beside him felt the same; his feelings were even deeper than Sabo's.

If what Sabo felt was the stability and prosperity brought by perfect laws.

Then what Ivankov felt was the free and inclusive side of Britannias.

Okama were a group discriminated against, and even treated differently, almost everywhere in the world.

But here.

As long as one obeyed the local laws, no one would cause you trouble.

When incidents occurred, perhaps the guards' handling might involve subjective factors, but situations like those of the past—where one was punished without any evidence, or simply because some absurdity offended a noble's mood—would not happen.

The bar that Ivankov opened had even gained many followers over this past month and more.

Many of his okama subordinates had even decided to stay in Britannias directly, intending to become fully part of it.

Ivankov couldn't help but exclaim with emotion:

"Here there are advanced systems, an inclusiveness that transcends the era, and more importantly, there is something we have never felt before, something I don't even know how to describe!"

"That is the fundamental difference between everything we have done and everything Gao Wen has done!"

Sabo nodded:

"We..."

"Have also saved many countries, many people."

"But it was merely superficial."

"Three years ago, we overthrew the tyrannical king of the Radis Kingdom, thinking we had accomplished everything."

"But a few months ago, I returned there to take a look."

"Everything had returned to how it was; the new king had not yet 【ascended properly】, or was even more tyrannical than the old king."

"It seems we changed nothing."

Ivankov's gaze dimmed; he understood what Sabo was saying.

Rule!

Or rather, rebuilding a new order!

Previously, the Revolutionary Army, like homeless dogs, had been chased all over the world by the Marines.

Even after overthrowing a tyrannical kingdom, there wasn't enough time to re-establish a new order there.

After a period of time, the Marines would arrive, the Revolutionary Army would withdraw, and everything would return to how it was.

Everything done was meaningless.

This wasn't because Dragon, as the leader, hadn't realized this point, but because he lacked the ability and hadn't found a new order that could replace the old one.

But now, both Ivankov and Sabo believed they had found it.

"I will take everything about Britannias back with me!"

"I want the dragon to see the greatness of this nation!"

"Here lies the answer we have always been seeking, that ultimate proposition!"

The more he spoke, the more excited Ivankov became, until he leaped onto the mast, still pointing toward the distant port!

Sabo likewise raised his hand to straighten his hat.

Clenching the pipe in his hand, he felt an unprecedented power gradually filling his heart.

And the man who brought all this to Britannias was named...

Gao Wen!

It is Knight Gao Wen, and also Lionheart King Gao Wen!

At the same time.

The New World.

Within a castle of a certain kingdom.

"Ivankov is safe, Sabo is about to return, and even the companions they had in Impel Down are all unharmed."

Even now, Dragon still found it somewhat hard to believe everything he had heard.

When he first received news of Ivankov's disappearance, his heart had nearly jumped into his throat.

With Kuma having left the Revolutionary Army to become a Warlord of the Sea, and Sabo still lacking strength, Ivankov was his only assistant.

If Ivankov too had lost his life at the hands of pirates, he would have fallen into a state of true isolation and helplessness.

Fortunately.

Everything was developing according to the most perfect script.

Except...

Dragon lifted his head; standing beside him was Vegapunk, with half an apple atop his head.

During this period, he and Vegapunk had erupted into countless arguments surrounding the Ancient Weapons, yet each time they parted on bad terms.

Their divergence on this matter had already grown so large that it was impossible to bridge.

Whoosh—!

Dragon took a deep breath and said:

"War Taowan is also in Britannias; together with Ivankov and Sabo, he should be rushing back to headquarters right now."

"War Taowan?!"

A trace of thawing appeared on Vegapunk's icy expression:

"It is truly wonderful that he is safe."

Seeing this, Dragon could not help but speak again to persuade:

"Vegapunk, become my assistant."

"Whether for the revolution or for the future world, your intellect is needed."

"You..."

"If this concerns the Ancient Weapons, I cannot provide you with any assistance."

Before Dragon could finish speaking, Vegapunk proactively interrupted him, and his originally slightly softened expression turned cold once more.

Clearly, on this matter, there was not the slightest room for compromise.

Dragon still wished to make one more attempt:

"Now, the World Government holds an Ancient Weapon in its grasp."

"Even someone as powerful as Britannias has been forced to lie low temporarily, seeking an opportunity to resist."

"Let alone us."

"You should know the power of the Ancient Weapons better than I do; relying solely on human strength, it is already impossible to contend with that thing."